Angry Rancor
The ''Angry Rancor'' is best known as a galactic cruiseliner. She was originally built to be a Griffon warship, but had a rough beginning and did not see active service. She was converted into a cruiseship in 9 ABY by Jack Raven and was operated by Raven and Rhea Zuri, then Ethan Katana before coming into the hands of current owner Daana Roon. On board, one will find the Lucky Krayt Casino which can meet any gambling needs, the Dianoga Hotel with numerous luxury and economy suites, the Grinning Nexu Bar & Grille with exotic cuisine from around the galaxy, and the Wampa Lounge with a wonderful view of space outside. About the Ship Description This heavily modified former warship has been outfitted as a racy galactic luxury cruiseliner. The ship is three hundred meters long and resembles a silver throwing knife, graceful lines curving out from the set of six engines at the stern and then tapering cleanly to a fine point at the bow. Plenty of chrome material was used in its construction, giving the hull a glimmering tone. There is a sleek conning tower amidships, housing the bridge and sporting several antennae. The main hangar is a beveled opening aft of this, which is nearly always open and magnetially shielded, inviting visitors. Ships landing on the vessel settle into it from above. A large set of transparisteel viewports is visible toward the bow. On either side of the conning tower, below the bridge and above the words "The Angry Rancor", is etched a silvery logo of the namesake animal, its claws extended and mouth agape in a vicious roar. The Crew The ship's crew is comprised of approximately 100 beings, and is divided in two major sections. "Ship Operations" includes the typical members of a capital ship flight crew: navigation, engineering, tactical, security (a well-trained force of 15), hangar operations and communications. "Cruise Operations" is focused on serving the guests on board, and includes entertainment, casino, restaurant, hotel and medical staff, plus animal handlers and tour guides. See the /Crew List/ for a look at the complete crew hierarchy and the characters that are currently part of it. Other You can also view the policies by which which guests are asked to abide while on board. History A Rough Beginning Note: The earlier history of the ship is not widely known ICly. The following is the true history of the vessel, but most people might only hear bits of it as rumor. The ship was constructed in 7 ABY at AEC Shipyards, under lead engineer Klaskin Duurvil. It was intended to be a heavy assault craft and transport vessel named Finishing Blow in the growing Griffon Armada. It was also meant to be commanded by Klaskin's wife, Lt. Colonel Ithuriel Duurvil. However, tragedy plagued the ship from the outset. Ithuriel fell mysteriously ill while the ship was being constructed, and then she passed away. When the ship was completed, Klaskin requested that it be named in her memory, and the Griffons readily agreed. The ship was thus christened the GSS Ithuriel. Within a week of launching from the shipyards, as a skeleton crew was continuing to outfit the ship, disaster stuck again. Klaskin and a handful of his assistants were working on the engines when part of the reactor core burst open and started leaking toxic gases. Klaskin himself was caught directly in the explosion, and he and two of the assistants would soon succumb to the gases and perish. The area was quickly sealed off, and the ship evacuated and locked down as a safety precaution. Before AEC personnel could plan out a way to clean up the mess, an Imperial Fleet appeared in the system and attacked. Because the ship was non-operational and not crewed, it was ignored by both sides during the First Battle of Pride-1. The Empire then captured the derelict vessel along with Pride-1 and the rest of the system. Following the battle, the Imperials checked the ship and then left it locked down and as it was, adrift and unused. It was in fact scheduled to be towed to a scrapyard, when the Griffon and New Republic navies returned to reclaim the system in the Second Battle of Pride-1. It is suspected that the Griffons decided to abandon the ship at this point, rather than try to repair it and put it into use. The last official record of the GSS Ithuriel was in 8 ABY, when the project was marked "complete." A New Purpose In 9 ABY, a mysterious woman who refused to give her name put the ship up as a bet in a game of sabacc. It was won by Jack Raven, a well-known collector and hunter of rare and exotic creatures. He had it refitted as a luxury cruiseliner and traveling zoo, and christened it the Angry Rancor. He and his partner and cruise director Rhea Zuri began traveling the galaxy, offering safari and hunting expeditions, collecting more animals for the ship and even selling some along the way. Jack and Rhea captured a krayt dragon on Tatooine and brought it aboard the Rancor. Not long afterwards, they were visited by a representative of Emporer Valak, who insisted on purchasing the animal. While guests of the Emporer, Jack and Rhea were shown the Death Star III Battle Station, and then forced to forget what they had seen. They soon planned a cruise to Gastus IV. While in orbit, Jack and Rhea went down to the planet to capture a small deer-like animal named the Dektu Nalis. In an ironic twist of fate, Emperor Valak had chosen that very planet for his show of strength and a test of the new Death Star's weapon systems. Jack and Rhea were killed in the destruction of Gastus. Their crew, aboard the Rancor, was chased out of the system by swarms of TIE fighters. Weeks later, and with the galaxy in turmoil over these shocking events, Jack's nephew Ethan Katana arrived in Caspian space to take possession of his inheritance -- the Angry Rancor cruiseliner and all of the animals on board. Ethan continued his uncle's legacy for several years, taking the cruiseliner around the galaxy and offering safari and hunting expeditions. This took place under the banner of "Indigo Entertainment." Ethan disappeared, leaving the ship in orbit over Tatooine without a leader. Weeks passed with no word, and the crew grew tired of waiting around without pay. Many left, some taking animals or other souvenirs from the ship, and soon it was left adrift with only a few droids and automated systems keeping it in orbit. One or two salvage operations were attempted, but failed. Resurrected, Again Then in 15 ABY, Daana Roon assembled a crew which carried out a successful salvage operation. They did enough work on the ship to fly her to the CEC Shipyards, where she was overhauled from bow to stern. A crew was assembled, things were prepared and the ship was relaunched early the following year. Now under the company name Adventure Cruiselines the ship is once again running events and entertainment. The safari/hunting expeditions and traveling zoo will likely be built back up over time. Relations with Factions and Other Organizations The Angry Rancor is multi-cultural and apolitical, firmly maintaining an independent status so that it can fly (almost) anywhere in the galaxy with minimal entanglements. The cruise line has established neutrality agreements of different types with the Empire, New Republic and Caspian Democratic Union. While in space controlled by any of those factions, the ship remains neutral and under its own jurisdiction. The ship does not have such an agreement with the Corporate Sector Authority, therefore it currently does not travel or do business in CSA space. The Rancor is starting to establish business relationships with specific organizations and groups. These include: * Task Force Inquisitor - a standing arrangement enables members of the Task Force to use the Rancor for R&R, with expenses covered by the Task Force's account. Behind the Scenes The ship is coded and operational, available for booking events and functions. Daana, the ship's owner, can be contacted in-game with matters that might concern the ship. Angry Rancor From SW1ki, a Wikia wiki.